Zahrah, Ily and Baby Asiyah
- Jade Edwards
- Apr 8
- 3 min read
I was booked in for an induction on the 7th December, this was my EDD and they suggested 40 weeks because I was diet controlled for GD.
I was unsure of this, and they assured me I could call up and ask to wait a few days if I was unsure.
In the week, I had raspberry leaf tea 2x a day, ate dates (when I remembered) and tried to keep active. We were also moving house so that definitely kept us busy!
On the 4th at around 10:30pm, I started to feel light surges that were irregular, I managed to read my daughter her bedtime stories and French plait my hair! She told me it looked funny.
I ate some cheese and crackers and jelly and tried to keep hydrated. I went to bed around 11:30pm and tried to rest. The contractions became more regular, and I started to time them at 1am. At 5am they were 8 minutes apart. I called the hospital, and they said to wait until they were more regular. So, I took 2 paracetamol and laboured in the bath for 2 hours. I carried on using the breathing the entire way through. In for 4, out for 7. I carried on repeating “this is the only good pain you will ever feel, she is closer to you with every surge, you can do this”. There was a moment I felt really scared, I let myself sob and feel those emotions. I then got dressed and sat on the birthing ball.
At 7am, they were about 5 minutes apart but very intense, so I woke up my husband and asked him to call my parents to watch my daughter.
I called the hospital and said I was in need of pain relief as the surges were very intense, and I requested the birthing centre. They were very kind and let me go through my contractions on the phone and didn’t disturb me as I felt them. They said I could come whenever I wanted.
I said bye to my daughter but didn’t wake her, my dad then drove us to the hospital.
We got there at around 8:30am. They took me into the birthing centre, tested my iron (which had come to a good level because of a transfusion the week before). The birthing centre was so calming, and the midwives were really lovely. They tested my blood sugar and gave me the gas and air straight away. I asked for pethidine but when she examined me, I was already 8cm and it was too late for pethidine. Luckily, I had laboured for so long that the codeine and gas and air made a big difference! I felt quite tired at this point and lay on the bed, just inhaling the gas and air and letting my husband coach me through it all (he was brilliant).
The midwives were so encouraging and intervened very very little! They didn’t even break my waters. They answered all my questions as I asked them.
I have no idea how but felt I wanted to stand, then I knelt on the bed, before I knew it. I felt the urge to push. The midwives told me to just listen to my body! It was so empowering. I felt a slight stinging as they told me the baby was crowning, and her head was already out! Then one more push and she was here! At 9:48am, I had only gotten to the hospital at 8:30am.
I had one small tear which didn’t need stitches, I opted for the oxytocin injection for the placenta. We did delayed cord clamping and she latched onto my breast straightaway!
I was able to have a shower about an hour after and my family came to visit. Sumayyah got to see her little sister and the tears haven’t stopped flowing since!
We had to check blood sugars and do all checks (hearing and eyesight etc), we left at around 11:30pm and came home the same day 🙂
Thank you so so much Jade for your help and guidance. I feel so blessed to have had such a lovely labour experience (for the second time!) and I got to experience something so different to my first.
